Lubricating installation



' I 1,5 2715 June 14, 1927. J. BUUR 3 LUBRICATING INSTALLATION FiledAug. 31, 1926 i a avwemtoz 1; 41 @jvse okfigw L Q MO v 35- Patented June14, 1,527,-

"uNir-En STATES JOSEPH". sm-In, on NEW YORK, N. r, ass'leuon'ro Au'ronnsnmcn eonronarron on nnLawnn-n,

ear Enteri is,

coaronarron", A.

nunmicarmo msrannarron.

Application filed au msumac, Serial 1m. 182,691.

My present invention relates primarily to central pressure lubricatinginstallations of "the type, the correct operation of which-depends onmaintaining filled with the lubri- 5 cating medium the entire system ofpiping intervening between. the pump and the control devices that governthe distribution to the bearings.

In a system of the type set forth, of character useful more especiallyin central chassis lubrication it is desirable to'provide a pumpoperated only from time to time and 7 provided with a close fitting orsuction piston that will eject the entire pump charge 1 into, the pipesystem, so thata minimum I length of stroke and minimum operating ef-.fort are required as distinguished from 'a pump with aloose operatingmember or piston, which will permit much of the charge to leak thereby.v

Should, however, a pump having the preferred close fitting piston, beoperatedone or more times in such system, in thevabsenc'e of asuflicient charge of oil there would be a $5 likelihood of feeding inpart at least, air

rather than oil, thereby interfering with the operation of api e systemof the character set forth. The en sequent slow expansion ofairthusadvanced and compressed into the so piping system after completionof one or' more pump strokes would bring about irregular and sluggishemission of oil to the bearings and! the distribution would not be soaccurately determined by the control devices,

It isaccordingly an object of the invention to prevent the com ressionof air into the pi e line even thong a lubricatingsystom 0 the type setforth including the preferred pump set forth be operated one'or 40 moretimes in the absence of a sufficient supply of lubricant, Another objectis to provide a system of the above type'which while disposing of airdoes not thereby render the system accessible 1.? for the entry of dust,dirt, or water into the course of oil flow.

These objects are accomplishedin the. system of my copending applicationSerial No.3

124,566 filed July 24, 1926, by the reservoir on installationthere-disclosed.

. readily during pump operation.

In the present application I have disclosed a less specialized'suctionpump and reservoirinstallation,-=suppl ing a i'in stem such as disclosedin myhopendiiig agp li cation, the disposal of air advanced by thedischargeof the suction pump bein efiected by means exterior'ly'of thereservolr. v

Genericallyin common with the embodi' merit disclosed in said copendinap lication,

the present invention operates y t e provis on of an a r re ect1ngconstruction serving to vent air but sustaining the pressure exertedupon lubricant, so as to render possible the transmission of pressurethrough the piping system. Incommon also with the disclosure of saidcopending application, I provide adjacent the air rejecting meansasettling or air separating chamber upon which the pump exerts pressureand fromgwhich air escapesthrough the rejecting device According 'to thepresent inv'ention'the air rejecting instrumentality is a separate smallcompact inexp'ensivefunit that may bedisposed at. any suitable place inthe pipe line preferably near the pump and reservoir.

Reservoir constructions of certain types might'tend to drain throhgh theair rejecting unit, if one or more of the flow control-f ling outlets ofthe pi e system should be leaky, To obviate sue loss, the air re'ect-" aing unit" ispreferably provided wit ,a spring-seated relief valve at itsoutlet to the pipe system, through which to the bearings.

I According to another feature, the airfreecting unit may also beembodied with a filter pad, preferabl between the settling chamber andthe relief valve, the oil being forced by pressure through said filterto intercept any solid'particles therefrom.

The air rejecting unit 'ispreferably sealed to preventthe' entry ofdust, without, how

ever, interfering with esca e of airtherofrom In a preferred embo iment,a conduit or pipe connects the air rejecting device for passes all theoil this purpose to the interiorof the ventedreservoir. v In the presentembod iment,-I have employed as the air vent, an open passage ofcross-section so minute as to greatly resist with the relief valveelement thereof omitted.

The lubricating system is claimed in the present application only incombination with the air rejecting means. Claims to the system as such,not limited to the air rejection feature, are presented in my copendingapplications, Serial No. 124,566 filed July 2450 1, 1926, Serial No.580,668, filed August 9, 1922 and Serial No. 662,195, filed September12th, 1923, of which the present application is a continuation in part.The reservoir and pump combination and the pump per so have certainfeatures in common with the di'sclosurein my copending application,Serial No. 131,640 filed Aug. 26, 1926 and in the divisions thereof,Serial No. 182,362, filed April 9th, 1927, and Serial No. 193,090 filedMay 21, 1927, in which are presented the generic claims to thissubject-matter. The reservoir per se, the air rejecting instrumentalityper se and the combination thereof, have certain features in common withthe disclosure in my copending application, Serial No. 132,141 filedAugust 28th, 1926 in which are presented the generic claims to thatsubject-matter.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments oi the several features of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing my system,

Fig. 2 is aperspective' of a detail of the reservoir.

Referring now to the drawin, I have shown a lubricant supply insta liation including a pump illustratively comprising a cylinder 10 threadedat its inner end into a corresponding socket 11 in the cast bottom 12 ofreservoir 15. The bottom 12 is shown secured at 13 to a vertical support14 such as, for instance, the dashboard of an automobile. -The wall-15of the reservoir is preferably'of sheet metal as shown, which encirclesand is soldered to the rim of the base. The filling neck 16 of thereservoir is preferably a machined sleeve soldered to the to of thereservoir and having a filling ca 1 threaded thereon. The wall of theneon l6 has an oblique dust excluding venting bore nesegzva pull on theoperating knob ,23 which protrudes through the head 24 of the cylinder.

The bottom of the reservoir is formed with a well '25 constituting avalve cage enclosing preferably a ball valve 26 normally resting upon awire mesh screen 27 and having a seating block 28 thereabove preferablythreaded into the upper end of the well. The bottom of the wellcommunicates with i the pump cylinder through a port 29 in the reservoirbase, opening through the inner end of socket 11. The pump piston has anextension metalseating disk 21 urged by I spring 22 to normally closeport 29 and prevent escape of lubricant from the reservoir to the pumpwhen the latter is idle. The supply installation has a discharge nipple.30 threaded preferably into the bottom of the reservoir.

The pipe line supplied from the nipple 30 through intervening apparatusto be described below, is preferably of the same character as that shownin my copending application Serial No.g12 l,566. For simplicity there isshown in a purely diagrammatic manner a pipe line 31 of bore too smallto permit flow of lubricant about any air therein. and provided with Howcontrolling outlet fittings which may be applied directly at thebearings, two of which are shown at 32 and 33; It may be briefly notedthat the outlet at an end of a pipe line comprises a 'drip plug 34having preferably a valve 35 urged by spring 36 against its seat 37 atthe outlet end, a felt plug 38 backed by an appropriate screen 39fitting in a corresponding socket at the inlet end. A flow controllingrestriction member is interposed between said valve and said "felt, saidrestriction member being shown as a metal pin 40 extending with minuteclearance in a corresponding longitudinal bore and held from droppingout of the fitting by the valve 35 at one end and the strainer 38 at theopposite end. I have also illustratively shown in the run of the line, adrip plug 41 which is substantially identical in construction with thatjust described but secured at its inlet end to a cross or T bar 42 tothe ends or which the corresponding lengths of pipe 31 are secured byappropriate couplings.

The resistance to flow of each drip plug in itself substantiallydetermines the rate of emission substantially regardless of the lengthor resistance of pipe leading thereto and the restriction deteimined bythe pin in the bore in its-elf substantially determines the resistanceto flow of the drip plug. The drip plugs may have different'ratingsdepending upon the requirements of the various hearin s. said ratingsbeing determined solely by the gauge of pin or wire 40 therein. Only twodrip plugs are shown, it being understoodthat a multiplicity of suchdrip cation of the bearings would ordinarily be.

v and irregularly used at outlet branches such as-at 41 and at the endssuch as 'at 34 of a common pipmg main.

- If the sy tem thus far described were operated without furthersafeguard, the

absence of a sufiicient' supply of lubricant,

' inthe reservoir, 'air'would be forced thetight fitting piston into-thepipe line and in subsequent strokes would be compressed in the pipe linethereafterexpanding slowly to cause prolonged irregular emission throughsome of the drip plugs, thereby interfering with the accuracy ofdivision inherent in the system when 0perated under proper conditions.Moreover,

'the minute strainer plugs 38 at the drip.

plugs would, in time become seriously clogged with dirt or other solidparticles in the oil unlessgreat care were taken to ro-' vide only pureoil' in the reservoir. oreover with a reservoir of the type noted,should a drip plug at lower level become leaky the entire contents T ofthe reservoirwould slowly drain thro h the. leak.

To remedy all three of t 1888 defects I may employ the simple unit shownat A which unit may be readily applied at any suitable place in the pipeline and at any desired level above or below the pump outlet butpreferably near the pump. It is .illustratively shown, applied in frontof the dashboard below the reservoir.

-The unitdisclosed comprises an inverted metal cup ,45 determining acircular air separating or settling chamber 46. Into the lower or openend of the cup is threaded a closure plug 47. A filter disk 48 of densefelt and a gasket 49 are laid upon an inner peripheral ledge 50 in thecup and the rim of plug 47 when applied tightly compresses the rim ofthe filter in pcsitlon, as shown, to form the floor of the settlingchamber. To prevent sagging of the filter and possible rupture thereofwithout, however, markedly diminishing the filtering area thereof,Ihave' rovided a corrugated perforate metal backs, mg 51 for the filter,said backing resting upon a corresponding flat face 52 in the plug 47.

The filter can be readily recovered and replaced a fresh one whenclogged. The specific arrangement of filter is not claimed herein perse. It is more fully described and claimed in the co ending applicationof Edward H. Kocher, erial No. 93,582 filed March 1U, 1926. q The plug47 has a nipple 53 withinwhich is disposed a disk valve 54 urged upwardagainst its seat 55 by a coil compression spring 56 retained in placewithin the nipple by a press-fitted open cup 57. A] ca 58threadeduponthe nipple has a nipp e 59 affording a terminal to which theinlet end 60 of the main length of piping system 31.

may be secured by an appropriate coupling 61.

Oil is admitted to the settling chamber 4 through a pipe 62 connectedat. its inlet to.

nipple 30 and at its outlet to a nipple 63 which is threaded into thelateral wall of settling chamber 46 near to upper end thereof. The unitis provided with selective means. functioning automatically to vent orreject air and to resist or. sustain pressure exerted. throughlubricant. My air rejecting vent is preferably appliedatthe upper end ofthe settling chamber, and is shown as a drip plug 64 similar to that at40 but devoid of the relief valve for which issubstituted a felt plug 65similar to the plug 38' atthe opposite 'end of the drip plug. Therestriction pin 40' fits with minute clearance' in the correspondingbore "between the strainer plugs 38 and 65. The drip plug vent isthreaded at one end into a corresponding socket in the middle of thesettling chamber ceiling which is arched at 46'.

pipe 66 connected to the upper or outer .end

of the vent plug affords a passa e therefrom preferably through a nipple67 t readed into the reservoir bottom 12.

lVit-h the system installed as shown in the drawings and the reservoirfilled, oil will normally fill the settling chamber 46 through l thepipe 62. The valve 54 will, however,

prevent the possibility of oil leaking. from the settling chamber to thepipeline therebeyond. In operation the pump will draw its charge throughport 29 past the open valve 26 from the reservoir. In,the sub- Y sequentdischarge stroke, valve 26 will seat and the pump willemit and transmitpressure through port 29,. nipple 30 and pipe 62 to the settling chamber46. Due to the pump pressure, valve 54 and the variousdrip plug.

valves 35, will crack 'open from their seats,

and oil will advance slowly past filter 48,

pushing ahead the oil in the pipe line 31 for emission, occurringthrough the various drip pugs 34 and 41 to the bearings. The specificmode of operation of the drip plugs need not here be set forth atgreater length as it constitutes more especially the subject matter ofmy 'copending applications Serial No. 124,566 filed July 24, 1926 andSerial No. 126.115 filed July 31, 1926.

The air rejecting vent plug 64 being itself a drip plug will ofi'er thesame order of resistance. to lubricant flowas do the dripplugi near thebearings, so that pressure is sustained in the settling chamber 46 andthe operation of feeding lubricant continues until the pump end 21' hasreturned to closed or seated position as shown in Fig. 1. The Inbricantemitted from the venting plug- 64 will return by way of pipe 66 to thereservoir and will accordingly not become lost.

Should the reservoir become depleted of or without oil such air could beadvanced through the nipple 63 into the chamber 46 from which it wouldescape readily along the arched ceiling 46' of the chamber to and Ithrough the venting plug 64- and thence by way of pipe 66 back to thereservoir where it is vented at 18. After the reservoir has beenreplenished with oil, and all air previously injected by the pump hasbeen passed out of venting plug 64-, the normal operation previouslydescribed will proceed.

The strainer wads 38 and 65 at the ends of the venting plug not onlymaintain the restriction pin 40 in place, but serve to exclude foreignparticles in the handling of the plug prior to installation thereof. Thestrainer wads will also aid in intercepting solid particles from anysmall quantities of oil that may be admitted to the settling chamberthrough pipe 66.

The pipes bemg of diameter so small that oil cannot flow about any airtherein, it is apparent, that the system can be originally charged withoil, by successive operations of the pump, the oil forced thereby intothe pipe line advancing the air ahead of it, and

ejecting it through the drip plugs.

The pump exerting a straight downward suction upon the lubricantthereabove through the small valve seat part, the oil immediatelythereabove Woul'dtend to cavitate, and the pump might accordingly drawair from above even a substantial level of lubricant. vented at thesettling chamber 46 without deranging the piping system therebeyond, thepump would draw only a partial charge of oil, though a residue ofseveral complete pump charges were still available in the res ervoir.

I effectively hinder cavitation, by a plate of larger diameter than thevalve disposed transversely across the valve port 28, illustratively infixed position within the reservoir. Specifically I have provided a diskwith three or more outstanding tongues 71 bent downward and outward toform feet 72 screwed at 74 upon a corresponding flat sur face 7 3 aboutand above the valve cage.

With such plate, direct suction cannot be applied downward from abovethe valve but the oil must be drawn in laterally from about theperiphery of the plate 70, whereby it will be apparent that thesuctionupon the lubricant is more widely distributed and cavitation isefi'ectively hindered. v

The broader claims to the cavitation hindering means are presented mycopend- While any air would be effectively aeea'ms ing applicationSerial No. 132,141 filed August 28th, 1926.

While I have shown my invention embodied in a system provided with dripplug metering outlets, and the invention finds a preferred field ofapplication in such relation, it will be understood that the airrcjecting instrumentality could be em loyed to advantage in adistributing system l aving pressure responsive flow controlinstrumentalities of type other than drip plugs.

While I have shown a manually operated spring discharged plunger pumpwith a tight-fitting piston, it will be understood that the airrejecting feature of the invention may be embodied in a system includinga pump of any of the more efficient types that do not allow oil, andtherefor, of course, air to escape about the operating piston, vane,impeller or ejector.

i It will be understood that the air ejecting unit shown at A need notwithin the scope of the invention claimed herein, be combined with thefilter or the relief valve. These elements may be associated with thepump and reservoir installation if desired, as for instance in mycopending application Serial No. 662,195 filed September 12, 1923.

I claim 1. A central lubricating installation comprising a pressure pumpadapted to intermittently feed small charges of oil, a pipe linesupplied therefrom and having a plurality of outlet branches leadingtothe various bearings, metering fittings at said various branches, eachof said fittings including a relief valve normally seated to maintainthe pipe system filled with oil, and an automatic selective device inthe course of flow from the pum to the bearings and affording normally are atively free passage for venting any air from the part of the systemsubjected to pump pressure, and reacting to lubricant, by virtue of theviscosity thereof, to sustain pressure transmitted through thelubricant, whereby any air entering the part ofthe system subjected topump pressure will be afforded a ready escape from near the pump, andthe pressure from the pump will in all operations be transmitted throughan incompressible column of lubricant to the various metering fittings.

2. A central lubricating installation comprising a pressure pump adaptedto intermittently feed small charges of oil, a pipe line suppliedtherefrom and having a bore of diameter so small as to preclude the flowof oil around any air therein, said pipe line including a plurality ofbranches tapped at various parts of the main length thereof, meteringrestrictions at the outlets of said branches, relief valves normallyseated to maintain the pipe system filled with oil, an

automatic selective device near the head of free passage venting any airfrom the part of the system subjected to pump pressure and reacting tolubricant by virtue of the viscosity thereof to sustain pressuretransmitted to the lubricant, whereby any air entering .the part of thesystem subjected into said pipe system, flow controlling means in thebranches of said system to the various bearings, predetermining therelative discharge of lubricant therethrough when pressure is applied tothe system, said installation having means to prevent leak of lubricantfrom the filled line after the pressure source has ceased operating, andautomatic means near the cylinder to prevent the introduction of airinto the pipe line beyond said means upon operation with the reservoirnearl empty. I y

4. A sa eguard unit for a central pressure lubricating system, said unitincluding a substantially closed settling chamber having an inlet forconnection with the pressure source, an outlet for connection with thebranched part of the piping system, a selective device in the top ofsaid chamber permitting lie-venting of air therefrom and resisting theesca e of lubricant therethrough, said unit inclu ing a filter pad inthe path of lubricant flow from the settling chamber thereof. I

5. A safeguarding unit for a central pressure lubricating system, saidunit including a i I substantially closed chamberhaving an inlet forconnection with a. source of pressure and an outlet for connection'to abranched piping system leading to the bearings to be lubricated, saidchamber having a minute open air vent through the wall thereof resistingthe escape of lubricant therethrough, the chamber being, conformedrelative to said vent to cause any airforced into the chamber to readilyreach such vent, said unit including a filter disk near the outlet, ofdiameter materially larger than said outlet.

6. A safeguarding unit for a central pressure lubricating system, saidunit including a substantially closed settlin chamber having an inletfor connection with the pressure source, an outlet for connection to thebranched part of the pi ing system, a selective device in the top 0 saidsettling chamber permitting the venting of air therefrom and resistinthe escape of lubricant therethrough, an a spring seated relief valve atthe outlet of said unit to prevent draining of lubricant therefrom inthe intervals between pressure operations.

7. A safeguarding unit for a central pressure system said unit includinga substantially closed chamber having an inlet for connection with asource of pressure and an outlet for connection to a branched pipingsystem leading to the hearings to be lubricated, said chamber having aminute open air vent through the wall thereof resisting the escape oflubricant therethrough, the chamber being conformed relative to saidvent to cause any air forced into the chamher to readily reach saidvent, and a spring seated relief valve at the outlet of said unitnormally closed to prevent the draining of lubricant therefrom into thepiping system therebeyond.

8. A safeguarding unit fora central pressure lubricating system, saidunit including a substantially closed settling chamber having an inletfor connection with the pump,

9. An air rejecting unit for a central pressure chassis lubricatingsystem comprising a substantially closed casing having an inlet near theceiling thereof, an outlet through the floor thereof, a minute ventthrough the top thereof, and means comprising a wad of felt guarding thevent to exclude foreign particles, without interfering with the eificacyof air ventin therethrough.

10. A safeguar ing unit for a central pressure lubricating system, saidunit comprising a substantially closed cylindrical casin having an inletnipple near the ceiling t ereof and an outlet nipple at thefloorthereof, a vent plug fixed centrally in the top of said unit, said plughaving a minute aperture therethrough the ceiling of said chamber beingarched upward with its highest part at said plug, a filter-disk at thelower end of said chamber abovesaid outlet 'nipple, and a relief valvebelow said filter disk normally spring seated to prevent the escape oflubricant from the unit.

11. A- safeguarding unit for a central pressure lubricating systemcomprising an inverted metal cup, a plug threaded into the open bottomthereof, a ledge within said cup, a filter disk peripherally clamped. by

said plug against said ledge, an inlet nipple for connection to -asource of pressure, threaded into said cup near the ceiling thereof andan outlet nipple disposed below said outlet nipp e.

13. A supply installation for a central pressure lubricating system,said installation including a reservoir, a pump having a suction ocrating member drawin from the lower an of said reservoir, a chec valveto prevent return flow'of lubricant to said reservoir in the dischargeofthe pump, said installation having a port through which the pump drawsits charge from the reservoir,

*tion.

and a plate fixed near said port and extending peripherally therebeyondto compel a lateral course thereabout for the drawing of lubricant,thereby hindering cavitation.

14:. A supply installation for a central pressure lubricating system.saidinstallation comprising a reservoir having a well therebelow, a pumpprovided with a suction piston and connected to draw its charge fromsaid well, a check valve Within said well having its seat"th'ereabove,and a plate of diameter larger than said seat supported in fixedposition above said well horizontally across the u per end thereof andcompelling passage of ubricant due to the suction of the pump only bylateral flow peripherally about the plate, thereby hindering cavita- 15.A liquid conveying installation comprising a pipin s stem, a. pressurepump or intermittent y ceding small charges of lubricant into thesystem,said stem having branches with meterlng out ets, which are connectedthereby in pressure transmittin communication with each other throug outemission from the outlets, said system being constructed and arranged tobe maintained substantially filled with liquid during the intervalsbetween pressure operations, and means in advance ofsaid branchessubjected to pressure ap lied at said pump to automatically andselhctively vent any air advanced thereto in the pump dischargeoperation and to sustain pressure transmitted from the pump, 7

16. A central lubricating installation comprising an intermittentlyoperated pressure pump of small volume, a pipe line supplied therefromand having a plurality of outlet branches leading to various bearings,meterinag fittings in said various branches, reliefv ves normally seatedto maintain the pipe rality of outlet system filled with oil, and aselective device near the head of the pipe line affording normally arelatively free passage for venting any air from the part of the systemsubjected to pump pressure, and reacting to lubricant, by virtue of theviscosity thereof, to sustain pressure transmitted through thelubricant, whereby any air entering the part of the system subjected topump pressure will be'afiorded a ready escape from near the pump, andthe pressure from the pum will in all operations be transmitte throughan incompressible column of lubricant to the various metering fittings.

17. A central lubricating installation comrising a pressure pum a pi eline supglied therefrom and havin a blire of diameter so small as topreclude the flow of oil around any air therein, said pipe lineincluding a plurality of branches tapped at various parts of the mainlen h thereof, metering restrictions at the out ets of said branches,relief valves normally seated to maintain the pipe system filled withoil, a selective device near the head of the pipe line afiordingnormally a'relativelg free passage for venting any air from t e part ofthe system subjected to pump pressure and reacting to lubricant byvirtue of the viscosity thereof to sustain ressure transmitted to thelubricant, w ereby any air entering the part of the system subjected topump pressure will be afforded a ready escape from near the pump andwhereby air present in the pipe line at the outset is pushed through theoutlets by the oil admitted from the ump.

18. A central lu ricating installation comprising a reservoir, a singlecylinder pump,

. a piston therein, a spring urging said piston to an end of its stroke,a pipe line supplied from said pump, and having a plurality of outletbranches leading to the various bearings, fittings at said variousbranches, and actuated to emit when pressure is applied to the pipeline, and means to close off the pipe s stem and maintain it filled withlubricant uring the intervals between pump operations, a check valvecontrolling the flow of lubricant from the reservoir to the pump andurged to its seat by the pressure discharge of the pump to sustainpressure for ropulsion of lubricant through the pipe ne, and automaticmeans operative when the level of lubricant in the reservoir is low toprevent compression of air into the pipe line'throughout the operationof the pump. 19. A central lubricating installation comprising areservoir, a pressure pump having a cylinder of small volume and anintermittently actuated reciprocating piston, propulsive meansautomatically urging the piss ton to an end of its stroke, a pipe linesupplied from said pump and having a pluranches leading to the variousbearin metering fittings at said line and automaticmeans operativewhenbearings inclu ing relief valves normally the level of oil inthereservoir is low to pre- 10 I seated to maintain the pipe system filledvent compression of air into the pipe line with oil, a check valvecontrolling the flow of throughout the operation of the pump. lubricantfrom the reservoir to the pump Signed at New York in the county of Newand urged to its seat by the pressure dis-. York and State'of New Yorkthis 25th day charge of the pump to sustain pressure for of August, A.D. 1926. t propulsion of lubricant through the pipe JOSEPH BIJUR.

